Two Hundred and fourty seven

CHAPTER 247

The field forensic team did a good job, the bodies of Jason's wife and two sons were removed from the coffin. All team members were fully dressed. They lifted the bodies out of the crates using latex gloves to avoid leaving any traces behind.

The condition of the three of them was worse than Jason himself. Their bodies were hideous and the smell was unpleasant as soon as the crate was opened. After removing the decomposing bodies, the forensic team put them in body bags and they took them to the hospital.

Because the smell was so foul, everyone was given masks by the field forensic team, including Nicholas and Noel. Nicholas and Noel went straight to Claire, she was the eyewitness, the one who first found the bodies.

"Excuse me, we are the police," Nicholas said, he then took out his ID card as a police officer, Claire nodded in understanding. "Is it true that you found the bodies near the waterfall?"

Claire nodded. She was a short-haired woman, not much taller than Nicholas or Noel, so Claire needed to look up to talk to the two policemen.

"Can we know your identity?"

"My name is Claire, Claire Pennington. I'm not married, I'm thirty years old." Claire pointed at the waterfall. "People told me to come to this tourist spot, because they said I would get a partner if I threw a lucky coin into the waterfall!"

Claire's voice trembled, she was still in shock after several hours of seeing the bodies there. Her eyes glazed over as she continued,

"But when I threw my second coin, I saw someone's hand. I called the tour guard, and... we found a body!"

Noel and Nicholas exchanged glances. Nicholas was still curious, so he asked another question. "Before you came here and saw the bodies, did you see anything suspicious?"

"No, Detective. The guards here were all surprised, I guess because this tourist spot has two different doors. One is the door for the tourists, while the door back there is for the locals. The local residents have access through the back gate. They don't have to pay if they pass that way. I am one of them. I entered through the back door."

"That answers our question about how the corpse was placed here," Nicholas said gratefully to Claire. "A local tourist spot that doesn't have strict security. But why under a waterfall filled with lucky coins? Why in the water again?"

Claire's eyebrows knitted together. "Are there other bodies in the water, Detective?"

Nicholas hurriedly dismissed the question in his mind and gave Claire a small smile. "Ah, not a problem. That was a case in the past, you don't need to worry." Nicholas coded to Noel, "My partner, Noel, will escort you until you get out of this place. Sorry that you had to see something bad today."

Noel nodded his head and raised his hand forward. "Go ahead, I'll accompany you."

Claire hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the waterfall, shivering as the terrifying coincidence of her romantic quest turned into a horrifying discovery. As Noel drove her away, Nicholas stayed behind to investigate the crime scene further.

The field forensics team meticulously combed the area, looking for any additional clues or evidence that might explain the mysterious placement of the bodies. Nicholas examined the neighborhood, noting the proximity of two doors leading to the tourist spot - one for locals and one for visitors.

In the middle of his investigation, a sudden gust of wind caught Nicholas' attention. He turned his head to see a shadowy figure partially hidden in the shadows, watching from a distance. The mysterious observer quickly disappeared, leaving Nicholas curious.

Meanwhile, Claire, accompanied by Noel, felt a mixed feeling of relief and anxiety. She couldn't get rid of the disturbing images she witnessed, the sight of decomposing corpses engraved in her memory. Noel, who sensed Claire's distress, tried to provide comfort as they walked through the tourist spot.

"Nicholas!"

Noel's voice signaled that he had just returned after taking Claire out of the waterfall tour. Nicholas turned his head and nodded.

"How was it? Does Claire seem to be getting better?"

"She seems very scared. It might be a bit traumatizing, I suggested she go for counseling, and she agreed to it." Noel looked around. "I asked all the officers in this tourist spot to gather. I'll check on them first."

"I'll stay here with the forensic team, I want to know why these victims had to be put into the water."

Noel nodded in agreement. "Alright."

The two of them parted ways, Noel went to check on the tour workers, asking them many questions about the discovery of the corpses in their workplace in detail. Time, place, Noel matched everything with the testimonies of the officials at the tourist spot. And they all unanimously said that the cleaning of the new tourist spot would be done every Monday, and would be done at night. That meant, if Claire didn't find the bodies during the day, then the cleaners would be the ones to find them at night. That day, whether it was Claire or someone else, Nicholas would still encounter the bodies of Jason's wife and two sons.

After the inspection was complete, Noel returned to Nicholas.

"I've checked everything."

Nicholas continued his investigation, his curiosity fueled by the mysterious figure he had seen earlier. As he dug deeper into the case, pieces began to fall into place like a macabre puzzle.

"I see someone watching us from afar, Noel." Nicholas pointed to the north, to a corner that was quite far away and near the second exit of the tourist spot. "Over there. It looks like someone is watching us there."

"Did you check?"

Nicholas nodded his head, he looked at Noel and said, "Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyone there. He must have fled after making sure this body was found by someone."

"Was it Ace?" Noel asked curiously. "He hasn't been found yet and it's probably Ace."